Resort Real Estate DevelopmentsResort Real Estate DevelopmentsBest Practices: Websites

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Websites: Role & Current Sitution

• Websites for real estate offerings are one of the most important salesand marketing tools available to developers. They can provide you witha competitive advantage within your marketplace or they can causeprospects to cross you off their list before you ever know they werelooking.looking.

• 80-95% of purchasers will have significant involvement with yourwebsite throughout the sales process.

• Additionally an optimized website with an aggressive pay-per-clickcampaign can be one of the most cost efficient lead generation tools.

• Today’s prospects have very high expectations from websites. Theyexpect to find a considerable amount of data in a simple manner beforethey will provide their contact information.

Our Process

• Atlas Destinations works as consultants for real estate developers fromaround the world. In our role, we’ve developer and analyzed a significantnumber of websites and have gained a tremendous insight into whatviewers are seeking and what makes some websites more productive thanothers.others.

• The following presentation includes an overview of “Best Practices.” It’sintended to help you begin to ask the right questions about your existingwebsites. We’re available for a comprehensive audit that will go intosignificantly more detail.

– Not all of the work included within the presentation as examples was developed by Alas. We prideourselves on monitoring the industry and tracking websites from many companies.

Branding: Does the Site Have a Clear& Upscale Brand Identity?

• One of the very first things a website viewer will do is lookfor a visual reinforcement that they are on the right website.

• Additionally for a high-end community, they will expect thesite to be presented in a very upscale manner – this issite to be presented in a very upscale manner – this ispresented visually and with the appropriate tone throughoutthe copy.

Branding Example

• Logo is inappropriateposition.

• Overall lookand feel is veryand feel is veryhigh end andaffluent.

• Overall contentis notoverwhelming.

Branding: Does the Site Clearly Communicate YourDifferentiators?

• In a market that is so cluttered, it’s critical that your websitecommunicates your differentiators in a very powerfulmanner. You must provide the viewer with reasons theyshould stay on your website – why is your offering unique,should stay on your website – why is your offering unique,what makes it special?

Branding: Is the Site Visually Stimulating?

• Websites can either be “brochures on the website” or canuse the medium to its fullest. Flash components. Interactivemap and photo galleries. To keep a viewer on your websiteas long as possible, it must be visually stimulating.as long as possible, it must be visually stimulating.

Visual Example

• Design deliversstimulating flashcontent.

– Header is a flashcomponent.

• Plus it provides• Plus it providesviewers with clearoptions for howto find desiredcontent.

• And it providesclear calls-to-action.

Navigation: Is the Navigation Intuitive?

• One of the quickest ways to lose a viewer it to frustrate themwith poor navigation. The information architecture has to berewarding – enabling the viewer to know where and how tofind content in three clicks or less.find content in three clicks or less.

Navigation: Is the Navigation Prioritized Effectively?

• There is no one size fits all approach to website navigation.While there are some basic principles, you should read youranalytics to understand which landing pages are mostpopular and adjust your navigation appropriately.popular and adjust your navigation appropriately.

Navigation Example

• Navigation issimple tounderstand.

• And navigationis in an orderis in an orderthat reflectshow consumersoften viewcontent.

Content: Is “The Overall Place” Defined?

• One of the first hurdles many developments have to cross isto help the viewer understand the overall place – the locationof your project. If it’s a foreign destination, where is itlocated; how do they get there; what type of government islocated; how do they get there; what type of government isthere; what is the exchange rate; what is the weather like; etc.– They have to fall in love with the overall location before they fall in

love with your specific development.

The Place Example

• This sitedoes anexcellent jobof usingflash to tellthe locationthe locationstory.

• It beginswith a globallocationstory andends up witha local,landmarkstory.

Content: Does the Content Tell the Lifestyle Story?

• Your website should try to simulate an actual site visit. Thecontent needs to help the viewer start to imagine themselvesliving there. What are the activities? What kind of food willthey eat? Where will they shop? What will the do in thethey eat? Where will they shop? What will the do in theevenings?

The Lifestyle Example

• This site provides ageneral overview ofactivities and then avery detailed map ofover 60 activities inthe area.the area.

Content: Are there Reasons for the Viewer to Return?

• The most successful websites are the ones that have a highpercentage of repeat visitors. This is accomplished with deepcontent and updated content.

Content: Does It Provide the Appropriate Level of Detail?

• Viewers have high expectations for content – they want tofind a significant amount of details but at the same time, youdon’t want to give them so much information that theyeliminate themselves before your sales team gets theeliminate themselves before your sales team gets theopportunity to speak with them.

Content: Does It Provide Personalized Content?

• Personalized content is one of the best strategies forrewarding a viewer for returning. If they previously informedyou that they are a golf enthusiast, then providing them withupdates to the golf course, interviews with the courseupdates to the golf course, interviews with the coursedesigner, etc., will definitely further your relationship withthem.

Personalized Content Example

• This site asksviewers toidentify whattheir interests areand then thesubsequentsubsequentcontent ispresented in adifferent order.

Content: Does It Create Urgency?

• For your website to optimize its potential for furthering thesales process, it must communicate a sense of urgency to theviewer. Why should they ask for more information today?Why should they seek a conversation with a salesWhy should they seek a conversation with a salesprofessional today?

Call-To-Action: Does It Ask for Contact Information?

• One of the purest objectives of a website is to help the salesteam gain contact information. Does your site ask for theinformation in more than one place? Does it make it simplefor the viewer to provide the most important information?for the viewer to provide the most important information?

Contact Us Request

• This site asks forcontactinformationthroughout,including on thehome page.home page.

• And the contact usform is verysimple, notrequiring a greatdeal ofinformation.

Call-To-Action: Does It Provide a Reason forthe Viewer to Provide Their Contact Information?

• Virtually every consumer wants to avoid providing contactinformation to a sales professional. In order to improve thechances of a viewer providing the valuable contactinformation, the website should provide a very strong reasoninformation, the website should provide a very strong reasonwhy they should do it.

Contact Us - Example

• This siteprovides a freesubscription toa magazinewith yourcontactcontactinformation.

Call-To-Action: Does It Provide AdditionalCalls-To-Action?

• Throughout the website, there should be a call-to-action onvirtually every page, using a variety of 3-5 different ones.These can include:– Request a brochure– Request a brochure

– Learn more about our discovery tour

– Contact us

– See what’s available today

– Learn about our financing options

Interactive: Does the Site Engage the Viewer?

• How does a website engage its viewers? It requires a mix andbalance. It requires smart, intuitive information architecture.

Interactive: Are There Opportunities for theViewer to Interact with the Site?

• A successful site is one that allows the viewer to becomeinvolved, interacting with photo galleries, maps, etc.

• The more time they spend on the site, the more engaged theywill become in your development.will become in your development.

Engagement/Interactivity Example

• This site providesviewers with aseries of questionsthat helps themget to the contentthey are mostthey are mostinterested inreviewing.

Real Estate Offering: Does the Site ClearlyDefine the Offering?

• Viewers will want to know exactly what the real estateofferings and options are. The content must be easy to findand must provide a great deal of information. Viewers expectto find these details to review before they will be willing toto find these details to review before they will be willing toprovide their contact information.

What the Offering Is Example

• This siteenables viewersto go directly tothe type ofhome they areseeking, whereseeking, wherethey findadditionaldetails.

Real Estate Offering: Is it Easy to UnderstandWhat's Available Today?

• Additionally, viewers want to know what is available today.Simply showing an entire master plan with all of theinventory is not enough. Also, this approach helps your salesteam by creating a focused prospect.team by creating a focused prospect.

What’s Available Today Example

• This siteprovidesviewers witha tool tonavigate thesite plan tosite plan tolearn what isavailabletoday.

Offerings Example

• This siteenables viewersto viewavailable homesby floor and toapply variousapply variousdesigntreatmentsagainst specificplans.

Real Estate Offering: Is the Sales Process(How the Viewer Gets Involved) Clearly Defined?

• Viewers and prospects are skeptical today. They don’t trustsales people and they don’t necessarily trust developers. Oneof the best strategies for gaining their trust early in theprocess is to outline the sales program for them. How does itprocess is to outline the sales program for them. How does itwork? How can they participate? What are you asking themto do?

Maps: Is There a “How to Get Here" Map?

• The website must tellviewers where thedevelopment is andhow they get there.This includes flightmaps, Google maps,maps, Google maps,etc.

Maps: Is There an Interactive Master Site Plan Map?

• An interactive site map is one of the strongest methods forhelping a viewer begin to picture themselves living at thedevelopment. It’s an interactive way-finding tool that enablesthem to gain a sense of the land and the layout.them to gain a sense of the land and the layout.

Interactive Site Plan Example

• This site includes aneasy-to-use tool thathelps viewersunderstand themaster plan, theneighborhoods andneighborhoods andthe amenities.

Maps: Is There an “Area Map” DemonstratingWhat's Available in the Area?

• Think before the fences/walls of your development, becausethe viewer does. As part of their initial research, they willlearn what other activities/amenities are available within thegeneral area of the trade area. By listing the activities andgeneral area of the trade area. By listing the activities andproviding a description of what’s available, your website willbecome an asset to the viewer during this phase.

Area Map Example

• This site has the bestexample of an areaactivities map.

• Viewers can selectwhat type of activitieswhat type of activitiesthey are interested inand then the mappopulates itself withactivities and providesa description.

Audiences: Does the Website Speak to Affluent Viewers?

• The tone of your website will speak volumes to the affluentviewer. It will help position you within the marketplace andwithin their minds.

• Speak to what’s important to them. Speak clearly and with• Speak to what’s important to them. Speak clearly and withconfidence. And find the right balance between esotericlanguage and “just the facts.”

Audiences: Does the Website Speakto an International Audience?

• Virtually every development will improve its opportunity forsuccess by opening its arms to the international audience.Sites that focus exclusively on US buyers are missing asignificant opportunity. This does not mean every page needssignificant opportunity. This does not mean every page needsto be delivered in multiple languages, but the site shouldprovide a level of content in multiple languages and shouldaddress other key components from a more internationalperspective:– How to get there?

– Pricing

– Buying

– Owning

Audiences: Does the Website Speak to the BrokerCommunity?

• An engaged broker community is simply one of the mostcost effective strategies for extending your sales reachwithout increasing your upfront budget. Your website willdraw brokers so they can do research to determine if yourdraw brokers so they can do research to determine if youroffering is a fit for their customers.

• Additionally it’s critical that your website informs brokers ofhow they can become involved with your sales program.

Broker Example

• This site includes acall out to brokerson the home page,and then deliversspecific content tothis importantthis importantaudience after theybecome registered.

Thanks for your time.

• For more information or to schedule an individualizedwebsite audit, please contact David Smith at 303-297-8900,ext. 5, or at davids@atlas-destinations.com.